Electrically-heated incubator



A. DE KHOTINSKY.

ELECTRICALLY HEATED 'INCUBATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 191B.

Patented June 14, 1921.

A. DEKHOHNSKY.

ELECTRICALLY HEATED INCUBATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 1918.

Patented June M, 1921.

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ACHILLES DE KHOTIN SKY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CENTRAL SCIENTIFIC COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ELECTRICALLY-HEATED INCUBATOR.

Application filed May 23, 1918.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I Aonrnnns on Kim- 'rINsKY a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrically-Heated Incubators, of which the following i a specification.

I have heretofore constructed incubators for use in conducting experimental work in laboratories and particularly in pursuing the study of bacteriology in which the tem perature is maintained by the circulation of air, warmed by electrically heated elements, through the heating chamber. Theheating elements were disposed beneath the floor of the heating chamber and suitable flues were provided to conduct the air to and from the heating elements. I have discovered that the proximity of the heating elements to the floor of the heating chamber resulted in the radiation of heat through the floor to an extent which raised the temperature in the lower portion of the heating chamber above the point intended to be maintained therein. Inasmuch as an apparatus of this character must be compactly arranged with the heating elements in position to permit a natural circulation of the air it became necessary to overcome the effect of direct radiation.

It is the object therefore of my invention to provide an incubator having electrically heated elements arranged therein to permit a natural circulation of air between the heating chamber and the heating elements and to utilize a portion of the air current to prevent direct radiation of heat through the floor above the heating elements so that the temperature of the heating chamber is maintained at a uniform pro-determined point.

Further objects and advantages of my invention reside in the various combinations hereinafter described as will be apparent as it is better understood by reference to the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawing illus trating the preferred embodiments thereof, intvhich- Figure 1 is afront elevation of an incubator or oven embodying my invention, parts being broken away for better illustu ti Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June It, 1921.

Serial No. 236,084. 7

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionthrough the incubator oroven;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through a slightly different form of incubator or oven embodying my invention; and

Fig. 5 is a sectionon the line 55 of Fig. 4

In Figs. 1 to 3- 0f the drawing I have illustrated the application of my invention to a single wall incubator or oven. The oven comprises a base 5 preferably mounted on legs 6 and supporting a bodylconsisting of end walls 7, the rear wall 8, a top 9 and hinged doors 10.

- A false floor 11 is supported in spaced relation with the base 5v and is provided with a transversely extending opening 12. Fartitions 13 spaced from the end walls 7 form therewith fines let which communicate with the space between the base 5 and false floor 11. A dividing wall 15 is mounted on the base 5 and extendsfiupwardly through the opening 12 in the false floor 11 supporting at its top a baflie 16 arranged above the opening 12. Openings 17 in the base 5 permit air to enter the heating compartment 18 1 above the base 5. 1

A plurality of heating elements -19 are disposed within the heating compartment. These heating elements are preferably substantially identical with those described in my patent No. 1,208,756 granted December 19, 1916 and are mounted in tubes 20 and 21, the former being supported by insulating blocks 22 in the end walls 7 and upright members 23 within the heating compartment and the latter being supported by the divid ing wall .15. The heating elements 19 are connected in any suitable manner to a source of current which may be controlled through means well known in the art to regulate the temperature of the air which circulates in the oven. 1

To prevent radiation from the heating elements through the false floor 11 I provide baflles 24 between the false floor and the heating elements and extending across. the air heating compartment as-clearly indicated'in Fig. 3. The edges of the baflies 24 are spaced from the dividing wall 15 adj acent the'opening 12 in the false floor 1.1 so

rest of the chamber.

that the descending current of air passing through the opening 12 mayenter the air heating compartment. This current of air after passing about the heating elements 19 is delivered to the fines 14 and passes over the upper edges of the partitions 13 into the heating chamber; thence it again passes downwardly through the opening 12. A portion of the descending current of air is deflected into the auxiliary passages or compartments between the false floor 11 and the baflles 2 1. ,This portion of air current absorbs the heat radiating from the heating elements 19 and cools the false floor 11. After passing through the auxiliary passages orcompartments, the air mingles with the heated air in the fines lat. By reason of the construction described, a natural cirrus lation of air through the auxiliary passages or compartments is constantly maintained, thus protecting the false floor 11 from direct radiation, so that the lower portion of the heating chamber may be maintained at a temperature corresponding to that of the The course of the air currents is indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3.

Obviously one or more shelves or trays may be conveniently arranged within the heating chamber and various minor changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the even without departing from the in-. vention. a

In Figs. 4 and 5 T have illustrated the application of my invention to atriple walled oven. dicates abase preferably mounted. on legs 27 and supporting a rectangular casing consisting of end walls 28, a rear wall 29, a top 30 and an outer door31. Inner walls 32, 33 and3l are spaced from the end walls 28, rear wall 29, and top 30 to provide compartments adapted to receive a suitable insulating material. The door 31 is similarly provided with an inner .wall 35 forn'iing a space to receive insulating material,

A false floor 361s supported in spaced relation with the base 26 forming therewith a heating compartment which communicates at its ends with flues 37 formed between partition walls 38 and the inner end walls 32. A false top 39 provides a flue to which communicates atthe rear of the oven with a flue 41 between a partition 41 and the inner rear wall 33. The flue 41 communicates at its bottom with a pan12 secured beneath the base 26. An opening 43 in the base 26 permits air in the pan 42 to rise into the heatin compartment.

'leating elements 14 which may be identical with those previously referred to are supported in tubes 45 mounted in insulating blocks M5 in the end walls 28 and in upright members '47, within the heating compartment. The heating elements 14: are connected to any suitable source of current which In this form of-my invention 26 in-- may be controlled by any usual meansto regulate the temperature of the air, whlch circulates within the oven.

The partitions 38 are provided with rectangular openings 18 arranged one above the other, nd preferably staggered as indicated in Fig. 5 to permit the air rising in the fines 37 to pass into the heating chamber. The false top 39 is similarly provided with openings 4-9 to permit egress of the air from the heating chamber into the fine 10 and thence into the flue 41. 7

To prevent radiation from theheating elements to the false floor 36 I provide a'baffrom the false floor. 36 at its ends to permit 7 air to pass therefrom into the fines 37.

The circulation of theair will be readily understood from the following brief descrip tion. Heated air is delivered from the fines 37 through the openings 48 to the heating chamber, and thence passes through the openings 49 into the flue 40. The air passes downwardly in. the flue ll to the pan 12. The bulk of this air current is drawn upwardly through the opening 4:3 in the base 26 and passes about the heating elements 4 1 J and thence into fines 37 completing the circuit. A portion of the air current is deflected from the pan 42 through the fine 52 intothe auxiliary air passage or compartment between .the baffle 50 and the false floor 36 and is heated by radiation from the heating elements 44:, at the same time pro.- tecting the false floor 36 from this radiation. The air from the auxiliary passage or compartment passes into and mingles with the air in the fines 37. through the auxiliary passage or compartment permits the maintenance of a temperature near the false floor 36 within the heating chamber substantially equivalent tothe temperature of other portions of the heating chamber.

One or'more shelves or traysbamay be supported within the heating chamber and The current of air to other forms of heating apparatus in which means providing a circulation of heated air is an essential part. My invention resides in the discovery of means whereby the temperature may be made more uniform through the provision of radiation of heat through the floor of the heating compartment, and without loss of any of the heat.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have perfected the means and apparatus of the character described for accomplishing the desired result in a satisfactory and eflicient manner and that various changes may be made in the form construction and arrangement of the parts, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its material advantages, the forms hereinbefore described being merely the preferred embodiment thereof. a

I claim:

1. In a heating apparatus, the combination of a heating chamber having a floor, an air heating compartment beneath said floor, heating means in said compartment, flues at the ends of said chamber and compartment and communicating therewith to permit circulation of air therebetween, a flue at the top of said chamber communicating therewith, a flue at the back of the chamber and compartment communicating with said top flue, a pan secured to the floor on the under side thereof and providing an air space beneath the floor communlcating with said back flue, and a flue at the front of said compartment communicating therewith and with an air space between the pan and the floor,

there being an opening in the floor forming a communication between the compartment and the air space below the floor.

2. In a heating apparatus, the combination of a heating chamber having a floor, an air heating compartment beneath said floor, heating means in said compartment, fiues at the ends and back of said chamber communicating therewith and with said compartment to permit circulation of air therebetween, a baiiie in said compartment between said heating means and floor forming an auxiliary compartment communicating with said fines independently of said air heating compartment and forming a passage for air currents to absorb the heat radiating from said heating means thereby protecting said floor therefrom.

3. In a heating apparatus, the combination of a heating chamber having a floor, an

air heating compartment beneath said floor,

heating means in said compartment, flues at the ends of said chamber communicating therewith, a flue at the back of said chamber communicating therewith adjacent the top thereof, said flues being arranged respectively to withdraw air from and deliver it to said compartment, and a bafiie in said compartment between said heating means and fioor forming an auxiliary compartment communicating with said flues independently of said air heating compartment and adapted to permit circulation of relatively cool air from the flue at the rear of said chamber to the tines at the ends thereof.

ACHILLES DE KHOTINSKY.

lVitness:

Z. COBB. 

